Abstract: Metabotropic receptor mGluR7 is identified and sequenced. The mGluR7 receptor subfamily mediates inhibition of transmitter release at selected glutamatergic synapses. The receptors, mGluR7-specific peptides and antibodies thereto are used to identify agonists and antagonists of G protein coupled glutamate receptor mediated neuronal transmitter release, as well as in methods of diagnosis and therapy.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods useful for isolating calcineurin as well as inhibiting calcineurin activity. The compositions are peptides that contain regions that are homologous to calcineurin-binding regions of AKAP 79. Also provided are methods for determining if a cell contains a calcineurin-binding and PKA-binding anchoring protein that are useful for identifying additional proteins that bind both calcineurin and PKA.

Abstract: Methods of treating or preventing neuronal loss associated with stroke, ischemia, CNS trauma, hypoglycemia and surgery, as well as treating neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and Down's syndrome, treating or preventing adverse consequences of the hyperactivity of the excitatory amino acids, as well as treating anxiety, chronic pain, convulsions, inducing anesthesia, and treating or preventing opiate tolerance are disclosed by administering to an animal in need of such treatment or prevention a substituted or unsubstituted pyridine and pyridine (N-oxide) analogs of 4-hydroxydihydroquinolones, tetrahydroquinoline-trione-oximes and quinoxalones, tautomers and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, which have high binding to the glycine receptor.

Abstract: Tri- and tetra-substituted guanidines which exhibit a high binding affinity to phencyclidine (PCP) receptors and, more preferably, low affinity to the brain sigma receptors. These guanidine derivatives act as non-competitive inhibitors of glutamate induced responses of the NMDA receptor by acting as blockers for the ion channel of the NMDA receptor-ion channel complex. These compounds thus exert neuroprotective activity and are useful in the therapeutic treatment of neuronal loss in hypoxia, hypoglycemia, brain or spinal cord ischemia, and brain or spinal chord trauma as well as being useful for the treatment of epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Down's Syndrome, Korsakoff's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Abstract: Active agents comprising coated pellets which self seal if they are damaged are described. More specifically, an active agent, or bead coated with an active agent, is coated with a rate-release controlling polymer and a hydrophilic gel-forming material which forms a gel upon hydration. If the bead is compressed into a solid compact which damages the polymer coating, the hydrophilic substance gels upon exposure to an aqueous environment. The gel provides sufficient sealing of the damaged area in the polymer so that a useful control of drug release is retained in spite of the damage to the polymer. The pellets of the invention exhibit improved flow and compactability. The compacts can be formulated to disintegrate in the gastrointestinal tract, and also may result in either controlled release or immediate release of the active agent.

Abstract: Tri- and tetra-substituted guanidines which exhibit a high binding affinity to phencyclidine (PCP) receptors and, more preferably, low affinity to the brain sigma receptors. These guanidine derivatives act as non-competitive inhibitors of glutamate induced responses of the NMDA receptor by acting as blockers for the ion channel of the NMDA receptor-ion channel complex. These compounds thus exert neuroprotective activity and are useful in the therapeutic treatment of neuronal loss in hypoxia, hypoglycemia, brain or spinal cord ischemia, and brain or spinal chord trauma as well as being useful for the treatment of epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Down's Syndrome, Korsakoff's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods useful for isolating calcineurin as well as inhibiting calcineurin activity. The compositions are peptides that contain regions that are homologous to calcineurin-binding regions of AKAP 79. Also provided are methods for determining if a cell contains a calcineurin-binding and PKA-binding anchoring protein that are useful for identifying additional proteins that bind both calcineurin and PKA. Another aspect of the present invention is methods for enhancing expression of interleukin 2 by T cells.

Abstract: Metabotropic receptor mGluR7 is identified and sequenced. The mGluR7 receptor subfamily mediates inhibition of transmitter release at selected glutamatergic synapses. The receptors, mGluR7-specific peptides and antibodies thereto are used to identify agonists and antagonists of G protein coupled glutamate receptor mediated neuronal transmitter release, as well as in methods of diagnosis and therapy.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of preparing azepines by a multistep synthesis including a Diels-Alder reaction. Also disclosed are methods of treating or preventing neuronal loss associated with stroke, ischemia, CNS trauma, hypoglycemia and surgery, as well as treating neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease and Down's syndrome, treating or preventing the adverse consequences of the hyperactivity of the excitatory amino acids, as well as treating anxiety, chronic pain, convulsions, inducing anesthesia and treating or preventing opiate tolerance are disclosed by administering to an animal in need of such treatment an azepine which has high binding to the NMDA glycine site.

Abstract: The invention relates to 5-(iminomethano)-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo?a,d!cycloheptene and derivatives thereof. The invention also relates to the use of such compounds for the treatment or prevention of neuronal loss in ischemia, hypoxia, brain or spinal chord trauma, as well as for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease and Down's syndrome.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the isolation, characterization and pharmacological uses for the human D5 dopamine receptor, the gene corresponding to this receptor, pseudogenes of this receptor gene, a recombinant eukaryotic expression vector capable of expressing the human D5 dopamine receptor in cultures of transformed eukaryotic cells and such cultures of transformed eukaryotic cells that synthesize the human D5 dopamine receptor. The invention relates to the biochemical and physiological characterization of the human D5 dopamine receptor and the development and testing of drugs useful for treating or preventing human disease.

Abstract: Nonlinear optical materials are described which satisfy Formula 1M.sub.Xl M'.sub.Y (B.sub.3 O.sub.5).sub.Z Formula 1wherein M and M' are mono- or divalent metal ions, X varies from about 0.1 to about 1.9, Y varies from about 1.9 to about 0.1, and Z is 2 or 3. Currently, the best nonlinear optical materials also satisfy Formula 2M.sub.X M'.sub.Y (B.sub.3 O.sub.5)X+Y Formula 2wherein M and M' are monovalent metal ions independently selected from the group consisting of Group IA metals, X varies from 0.1 to about 1.9, and wherein Y varies from about 1.9 to about 0.1. The best results are achieved when compounds satisfying Formula 2 have X=Y=1, and the metal ions are independently selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium and francium. One example, without limitation, of a compound that satisfies Formulas 1 and 2 is CsLiB.sub.6 O.sub.10.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel mammalian methadone-specific opioid receptor protein and genes that encode a such protein. The invention is directed toward the isolation, characterization and pharmacological use of mammalian methadone-specific opioid receptor proteins. The invention specifically provides isolated complementary DNA copies of mRNA corresponding to the rat homologue or the mammalian methadone-specific opioid receptor gene. Also provided are recombinant expression constructs capable of expressing the mammalian methadone-specific opioid receptor genes of the invention in cultures of transformed prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, as well as such cultures of transformed cells that synthesize the mammalian methadone-specific opioid receptor proteins encoded therein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel mammalian amino acid transporter proteins and the genes that encode such proteins. The invention is directed toward the isolation, characterization and pharmacological use of the human amino acid transporter proteins EAAT1, EAAT2, EAAT3 and ASCT1. The invention specifically provides isolated complementary DNA copies of mRNA corresponding to each of these transporter genes. Also provided are recombinant expression constructs capable of expressing each of the amino acid transporter genes of the invention in cultures of transformed prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, as well as such cultures of transformed cells that synthesize the human amino acid transporter proteins encoded therein. The invention also provides methods for screening in vitro compounds having transport-modulating properties using preparations of transporter proteins from such cultures of cells transformed with recombinant expression constructs.

Abstract: Tri- and tetra-substituted guanidines which exhibit a high binding affinity to phencyclidine (PCP) receptors and, more preferably, low affinity to the brain sigma receptors. These guanidine derivatives act as non-competitive inhibitors of glutamate induced responses of the NMDA receptor by acting as blockers for the ion channel of the NMDA receptor-ion channel complex. These compounds thus exert neuroprotective activity and are useful in the therapeutic treatment of neuronal loss in hypoxia, hypoglycemia, brain or spinal cord ischemia, and brain or spinal chord trauma as well as being useful for the treatment of epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Down's Syndrome, Korsakoff's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Abstract: A peptide, produced by propionibacteria, has a molecular weight of between 300 and 1200 daltons and is inhibitory to gram-negative bacteria. The peptide can be produced by purification of a propionibacteria metabolite mixture, by chemical synthesis, or by a host transformed with a recombinant vector, and is useful in preventing and treating bacterial infections.

Abstract: Methods of treating or preventing neuronal loss associated with stroke, ischemia, CNS trauma, hypoglycemia, and surgery, as well as treating neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and Down's syndrome, treating or preventing the adverse consequences of the hyperactivity of the excitatory amino acids, as well as treating anxiety, chronic pain, convulsions, and inducing anesthesia are disclosed by administering to an animal in need of such treatment an alkyl or azido-substituted 1,4-dihydroquinoxaline-2,3-dione or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, which have high binding to the glycine receptor.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods useful for isolating calcineurin as well as inhibiting calcineurin activity. The compositions are peptides that contain regions that are homologous to calcineurin-binding regions of AKAP 79. Also provided are methods for determining if a cell contains a calcineurin-binding and PKA-binding anchoring protein that are useful for identifying additional proteins that bind both calcineurin and PKA.

Abstract: Methods of treating or preventing neuronal loss associated with stroke, ischemia, CNS trauma, hypoglycemia and surgery, as well as treating neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease and Down's syndrome, treating or preventing the adverse consequences of the hyperactivity of the excitatory amino acids, as well as treating anxiety, chronic pain, convulsions, inducing anesthesia and treating psychosis are disclosed by administering to an animal in need of such treatment a compound having high affinity for the glycine binding site, lacking PCP side effects and which crosses the blood brain barrier of the animal.Also disclosed are novel 1,4-dihydroquinoxaline-2,3-diones, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. Also disclosed are highly soluble ammonium salts of 1,4-dihydroquinoxaline-2,3-diones.

Abstract: Methods of treating or preventing neuronal loss associated with stroke, ischemia, CNS trauma, hypoglycemia and surgery, as well as treating neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease and Down's syndrome, treating or preventing the adverse consequences of the hyperactivity of the excitatory amino acids, as well as treating anxiety, chronic pain, convulsions and inducing anesthesia are disclosed by administering to an animal in need of such treatment a substituted or unsubstituted 4-hydroxy-3-nitro-1,2-dihydroquinolin-2-one or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which have high binding to the glycine receptor.